According to the Minister of the Interior, in statements made after the first ordinary session of the National Council for Roads and Traffic Management (CNVOT) – held this Wednesday, under the guidance of the Vice-President of the Republic, Esperança da Costa –, accidents occurred more frequently in urban areas.
"Accidents occurred more frequently in urban areas and the main causes are drunk driving, speeding, failure to yield, dangerous maneuvers, overcrowding and overloading", reads a government statement, to which VerAngola had access.
In addition, the note adds, "the irregular use of safety accessories and mobile phones, as well as the circulation of poorly maintained vehicles, contributed significantly to the increase in road accidents in the country".
Thus, in order to mitigate road accidents, the Government wants to "implement measures such as the creation of the Special Road Safety Unit and the reinforcement of speed control by means of radars and smart devices".
The measures to be implemented also include the "acquisition of auxiliary monitoring equipment, such as radars, breathalyzers and opacimeters, in addition to updating road signs in accordance with current regulations".
At the meeting, the national council also assessed the "implementation of the actions planned for 2024", within the framework of the National Road Safety and Prevention Plan 2023-2027.
"Among the initiatives discussed, the Draft Regulation on the Use of Radar Metrological Equipment stands out, which aims to regulate the installation and use of devices along the country's roads to monitor speed limits", reads the note.
On the occasion, the Minister of the Interior reported that the "implementation of this project is in an experimental phase in the province of Luanda, where mobile radars are already being used to test the effectiveness of the equipment".
The meeting also served to inform the CNVOT about the results of the first International Forum on Road Safety in Angola.
In addition, the meeting also discussed the "inclusion of road safety education programmatic content in the academic curriculum, a measure that aims to reinforce the training of students in road safety".
"The general command of the police, through the traffic and transit agencies, has carried out awareness campaigns in partnership with the Ministry of Education, bringing the topic of road safety to schools throughout the country", Manuel Homem also said.
